This Day In History : September 11

2001 United States

9/11 Attacks in the United States

On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, causing their collapse. Another plane struck the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to regain control from the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, leading to profound impacts on U.S. policy and global security measures.

Also on This Day in History September 11

Discover what happened on September 11 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, September 11
  • 1816 Cal Zeiss

    German lens maker who created the Optical instrument

  • 1937 Robert Crippen

    American astronaut (STS 1, 7, 41C, 41G)

  • 1798 Franz E. Neumann

    German mineralogist, mathematician and physicist

  • 1877 James Hopwood Jeans

    English physicist, mathematician and astronomer (The Mysterious Universe)

  • 2024 Charles Geschke

    American computer scientist, inventor and businessman (co-founder of Adobe Systems)

Deaths on This Day, September 11
  • 1966 Collett E. Woolman

    American businessman who co-founded Delta Air Lines

  • 1851 Sylvester Graham

    American nutritionist and minister (Graham cracker)

  • 1843 Joseph Nicolas Nicollet

    French mathematician and explorer

  • 1823 David Ricardo

    English economist (On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation)

  • 1948 Mohammed Ali Jinnah

    Founder of Pakistan who led the All-India Muslim League (1913-47) until he achieved his dream of Pakistan and became its 1st Governor-General (1947-48)

1985

The International Cometary Explorer (ICE) flew relatively unscathed through the gas tail of comet P/Giacobini-Zinner

In 1985, the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) flew relatively unscathed through the gas tail of comet P/Giacobini-Zinner on September 11. This historic event marked the first time a spacecraft had encountered a comet. The ICE mission provided valuable data on the composition and structure of the comet's tail, contributing significantly to our understanding of comets and their interactions with the solar wind.
2007

Russia tested the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, known as the "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB)

On September 11, 2007, Russia tested the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, known as the "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB). This thermobaric bomb detonates mid-air and uses the oxygen in the atmosphere to create an enormous explosion. The energy released by the FOAB was equivalent to 44 tons of TNT, making it the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in existence at the time.
1909

German astronomer Max Wolf rediscovers Halley's comet

German astronomer Max Wolf rediscovered Halley's Comet on September 11, 1909. This event marked the comet's return to visibility in its 1910 apparition, as it approached the Sun in its elliptical orbit. Wolf's rediscovery contributed to ongoing scientific observations and studies of Halley's Comet, which has been observed and documented for centuries due to its periodic returns to the inner solar system.
1951

Florence Chadwick Swims English Channel

Florence Chadwick successfully swam the English Channel on September 11, 1951. She became the first American woman to achieve this feat, swimming from France to England in challenging conditions. Chadwick's accomplishment earned her widespread recognition and established her as a pioneer in long-distance swimming. It took her 16 hours & 19 minutes.
 
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